UAE National Day: Residents to get 4-day weekend as private sector holiday announced

UAE residents will get a 4-day weekend for the upcoming National Day holidays, it was announced on Friday.

Employees in the private sector will get paid holidays for December 2 and 3, Monday and Tuesday, said the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (Mohre). When combined with a Saturday-Sunday weekend, this translates to a four-day break.

The announcement comes in a Mohre circular that has been aligned with a Cabinet decision on public holidays for 2024.

The UAE Government earlier announced the same holidays for those working in ministries and federal entities.

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A unified holiday policy implemented in the country for both public and private sector workers ensures all employees get equal number of breaks throughout the year.

The UAE marks the National Day — now called Eid Al Etihad — on December 2 every year to celebrate the unification of the Emirates in 1971. The country turns 53 this year.

While some residents are flying out for the last long weekend of the year, many are also staying put. Several families have been preparing for huge gatherings, with some spending thousands of dirhams for village-wide celebrations.

• UAE's National Day celebrations to be called Eid Al Etihad